Across the Bay

ACROSS THE BAY is a heartwarming story of a young boy's search for family and identity. The main character, a young boy named Carlitos, lives in the small town of Cataño, Puerto Rico -- across the bay from the capital, in a happy home with his mother, his abuela, and their cat, Coco. Carlitos loves his family but notices that something sets him and his family apart. Other neighborhood kids play basketball, learn to ride a bike, and go to the barbershop with their father while he goes to the barbershop with his mother. When Carlitos asks about Papi, his mother tells him that his father is across the bay in Old San Juan. She explains that "sometimes things don't work out" and reassures him that he is loved. Still, his yearning for his father takes him on a solo journey to find him. He tucks a photo of his father into his pocket and leaves home without anyone noticing, boarding a ferry all by himself to Old San Juan. Almost immediately, Carlitos can sense the vastness of the city as he watches Old San Juan grow bigger and bigger from his seat on the ferry. Once across the bay, he enlists the help of strangers but is unsuccessful in his quest to find Papi. His journey takes him through the maze-like streets of the old city, to old viejitos playing dominos on the street, to a lively parade, and finally to the castle El Morro, where he learns an important lesson. The colorful characters he meets along the way help illustrate a cultural setting and become part of the boy's emotional journey to find the true meaning of home. Eventually he makes his way to the edge of Old San Juan, where, from across the bay, he catches a glimpse of his hometown and is quickly reminded of where he belongs.